# Little things that bug you **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 21, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187 "2015-04-21T14:10:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/161 "2015-05-01T15:35:07Z")
Don’t forget that in Brit-speak the metal is spelt “aluminium” . The “i” is in the spelling, so it’s not really very surprising that it’s in the pronunciation too. We certainly pronounce the “i” in lithium, uranium, and all the rest of the \*iums. Or did you not know that and were instead nitpicking cluelessly? One of the little things which bug _me_. ---
**Author:** ![Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/162 "2015-05-02T07:40:58Z")
Actually, most Britons pronounce aluminium aloo-MIN-yum in my experience. Also, second vowel is close to a schwa. Doesn’t match either platinum or uranium. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/163 "2015-05-02T08:01:55Z")
Aluminium = AL-yu-MIN-ee-um ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/164 "2015-05-05T00:17:05Z")
Pet parent. Not unless you’ve got a tail. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/165 "2015-05-05T01:31:19Z")
Sally Fields ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/166 "2015-05-05T10:33:51Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Don’t forget that in Brit-speak the metal is spelt “aluminium” . I’ve just discovered a little thing that bugs me. Spelt. It’s just so wrong. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/167 "2015-05-05T13:55:12Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Pet parent. Not unless you’ve got a tail. I saw an annoying caption on a picture of a dog on Facebook: "“Her [the dog’s] mom couldn’t ask for a better four legged daughter around her human children.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/168 "2015-05-05T22:50:39Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Pet parent. Not unless you’ve got a tail. Ugh! This. So much. Also the phrase, “fur babies”. “Oh, you’re such a good dog mom.” “Nope, I’m a good dog owner.” “Oh, your fur babies must have missed you so much while you were gone.” “No, but I’m sure my dogs and cats missed me.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/169 "2015-05-05T22:57:43Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I’ve just discovered a little thing that bugs me. > > Spelt. It’s just so wrong. Of course it’s wrong. It’s Brit-speak, like aluminium and colour. Or, equally validly, it’s absolutely right if you’re a Brit in Britain; it’s those dumb Yanks with their aluminum and color and all the rest of their linguistic and spelling abominations. Long live RP and the Queen’s English!! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/170 "2015-05-05T23:30:19Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > Sally Fields Woman knows how to enjoy a salad though. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/171 "2015-05-06T00:36:15Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Woman knows how to enjoy a salad though. I see what you did there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/172 "2015-05-06T01:12:25Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Of course it’s wrong. It’s Brit-speak, like aluminium and colour. > > Or, equally validly, it’s absolutely right if you’re a Brit in Britain; it’s those dumb Yanks with their aluminum and color and all the rest of their linguistic and spelling abominations. Long live RP and the Queen’s English!! Sadly, the English invented a language they cannot speak. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/173 "2015-05-06T03:59:59Z")
Could of, should of, I’ve seen these in actual books. Makes me crazy. Also one of my coworkers uses the word ideal when she means idea. How can anyone be that stupid? ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/174 "2015-05-06T15:28:06Z")
It really tweaks me when people in business use the word optics when they mean appearances. It’s pretentious and stupid. Stop it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/175 "2015-05-06T15:34:49Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > It really tweaks me when people in business use the word optics when they mean appearances. It’s pretentious and stupid. Stop it. Fortunately, I have never heard that. I was initially annoyed by folks calling a video tape or a DVD a “video”, but I got over it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/176 "2015-05-06T19:13:27Z")
Pretentious people who say things like _utilize_ instead of the simple straightforward word _use_. Actually, it’s sometimes helpful – anytime I see the word utilize, it tells me the speaker/writer is a pompous ass. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/177 "2015-05-06T19:37:47Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Pretentious people who say things like _utilize_ instead of the simple straightforward word _use_. > > Actually, it’s sometimes helpful – anytime I see the word utilize, it tells me the speaker/writer is a pompous ass. That reply is problematic. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/178 "2015-05-06T23:29:42Z")
You’ve got another thing coming. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/179 "2015-05-07T00:52:31Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > You’ve got another thing coming. I still prefer this. It makes more sense and is more grammatically satisfying than “think”. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187/180 "2015-05-07T01:34:52Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I still prefer this. It makes more sense and is more grammatically satisfying than “think”. I have always thought that “another think coming” sounded stupid. “Another thing coming”, as in, “You are wrong and what you did not expect will happen.” If you thought that I would not contest your post, you have another thing coming. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-bug-you/718187.md?page=10)